Feeler mechanism for looms



E. S. STBMPSON FEELER mzcrmmsm FOR LOOMS Sept. 2

2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Nov. 12, 1923 .r a w 6 6 9 3 5 a ATTORNEY Sept.2, 19246 1,507,127

E. S. STIMPSON FEELER uscmmsm FOR Looms Filed Nov. 12. 1923 2Sheets-Sheet 2 ATTORNEY Patented Sept. 2, 1924.

UNITEDSTATES PATENT OFFICE.

EDWARD S. STIMPSON. OF HOPEDALE, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO DRAIPEB COR-PORATION, OF HOPE-DALE, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MAINE.

FEELETB. MECHANISM FOR LOOMS.

Application filed November 12, 1923. Serial No. 074,1 3;

To all whom it may concern:

Be it lmown that I, EDWARD S. Srmzrson, a citizen of the United States,residing at Hopedale, in the county of Worcester and State ofMassachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Feeler Mechanisms forLooms, of which the following description, in connection with theaccompanying drawings, is a specification, like characters on thedrawings representing like parts.

This invention relates to feeler mecha nisms for looms, whereby thefilling is replenished from time to time prior to com plete exhaustion.

Various kinds of feeler mechanisms have heretofore been suggested forthe purpose of either stopping the 100111 or replenishing the fillingwhen the filling in the shuttle has reached a degree of substantialexhaustion. It is now the common practice to provide the feelermechanism with a feeler which enters the shuttle on each detecting beatand contacts with the filling, and when the filling reaches substantialexhaustion the feeler detects this condition and sets in o eration atrain of mechanism for replenis ing the filling. This constantlyrecurring contact of the feeler with the filling on each detecting beatis liable to injure the filling, especially when the filling is of finecount or formed of material such as silk or the like. Since the functionof the feeler is to call for a change of filling when that in theshuttle has become substantially exhausted, it is not necessary that thefeeler perform its detecting function continuously during the entireperiod of weaving, but it will suffice for the feeler to perform itsfeeling function when the filling has approached the danger point, andinitlate replenishment of filling when that in the shuttle has becomesubstantially exhausted.

Therefore, one feature of the present inventioln resides in a feelermechanism for looms in which the feeler may be held in a retracted orinoperative osition with re spect to the filling, for periods of timeand be rendered operative to engage the filling only at intervals, untilit detects a near approach to substantial exhaustion of the filling,whereupon the feeler may remain operative and u on detection ofsubstantial exhaustion of g, set in operation a tram of mechanism toreplenish the filling.

In carrying out theabove feature of the invention, means is provided forengaging the feeler asit is pushed frontwardly by a working supply offilling and for holding the feeler in the retracted position during itwill be held entirely out of engagement with the filling.

Another feature of the present invention, therefore, resides in a simplemeans for imparting a further movement to the feeler whereby it will beheld entirely out of engagement of the filling as the lay beats Pcombination of parts in addition to the above will be hereinafterdescribed in connection with the accompanying drawings which illustrateone good practical form thereof.

In the drawings: Fig.- 1 is a perspective view of one side of the loomequipped with a feeler mechanism embodying t e present invention;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged plan view of the feeler mechanism showing thefeeler in dotted lines in its projected position and in full lines inthe position to which it is pushed frontwardly by a working supply offilling;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to that of Fig. 2 but showing the feeler afterit has been moved laterally to a position in which it is held entirelyout of engagement with the filling;

Fig. 4 is asection view taken on the line 4=-4 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 5 is a fperspective view of the detent mechanism 0 Fig. 2.

The present invention will be described in connection with a feelermechanism in which the feeler is of the inclined type and enters theshuttle in a direction inclined to the longitudinal axis thereof, andwhile the advantages of the inventionare observable Other features ofthe invention and novelv in connection with such type of feeler, it willbe understood that it is not restricted thereto and that the presentinvention may be employed in connection with other types of feelermechanism.

The loom frame 1 may be of usual construction comprisin the side frames2 and breast beam 3 on w ich is secured at either side of the loom abracket 4 having bearings for the usual transverse or rock shaft 5 whichis operatively in control of the replenishing mechanism. It has not beeneemed necessary to show and describe the details of the replenishingmechanism because such mechanism may be of any of the well-known typesnow in common use and the details thereof form no part of the presentinvention.

Secured to the rock shaft 5 and extending upwardly therefrom is the arm6 to which is pivotally connected at7 a rearwardly extendmg arm 8, therear end portion of which is adapted to be engaged at times with anoperating member 9 which may be formed as part of or associated with thecam follower. In the present instance the arm 8 ivotally connected to itat 10 a rearwar ly extending end portion 11 which is normally out of thepath of movement of the operatin member 9, and connected to the part 111s a In 12 overlying the horizontal arm 13 of a%)ell crank lever pivotedat 14 to a support 15 secured at 16 to the loom frame. The downwardlyextending arm 17 of the bell crank lever is connected to a transmitter18 which is operatively connected at its other end to a slide 19 undercontrol of the feeler.

Extending from the loom frame is the shipper stand 20 to which isadjustably connected the feeler stand 21 by means of the bolt or setscrew 22, as usual.

The feeler 23, as hereinbefore noted, is shown as of the inclined typeand is supported upon the feeler stand 21 for movement towards and fromthe front of the loom. The feeler 23 passes through the bearings at therear of the feeler stand and also through an opening in the slide19-which is guided for lateral movement at the rear of the feeler stand,and frontward of the rear bearin or uide for the slide the feeler isprovide wit a bridge or support 24 to which the feeler is secured.Extending frontwardly from the bridge 24 is the feeler stem 25 whichpasses through the swivel block 26 mounted upon the feeler stand bymeans of a bracket 27, and between the swivel block 26 and the bridge24: is a spring 28 normally tending to move the feeler towards itsrearward feeling position. The parts so far described may besubstantially the same as the similar part-s shown and described morefully in the patent to Edward S. Stimpson, No. 1,309,226, dated July 8,

1919, to which reference may be had for further details of feelermechanism.

As stated, the.,present invention contemplates means for holding thefeeler retracted for a period of time to a position in which it iscompletel out of engagement with the filling and rim-then releasing thefeeler to feel the condition of the filling within the shuttle.

In carrying out the present invention, the movement of the feelerfrontward by the pressure of a working supply of filling upon the end ofthe feeler is utilized to place a spring under tension so that as soonas the pressure of the filling against the end of the feeler is relievedthe feeler will be moved by the tensioned spring to a position in whichit is entirely out of engagement with the filling and is held in thisposition for a desired period of time.

Means to this end may be variously constructed and in the embodiment ofthe invention illustrated a lever 29 is pivotally mounted by a pin 30 atone side of the feeler stand 21 so that the lever extends in the generaldirection of the feeler 23. The rearwardly extending end of the lever 29is pro:

vided with an inclined surface 31 and with a cam or rounded projection32, and adjacent this cam or projection is provided a detent 33 whichmay consist of a block secured to the end of the lever by the screw 34.The detent preferably is provided with a series of teeth 35 that aredisposed in a frontwardly inclined direction, as shown in Fig. 5. Thefrontwardly extending end of the lever 29 lies within the space betweena pair of lugs upon the bracket 36 which bracket is adjustably securedto the feeler stand by the bolt 37, and a spring 38 confined between theupper face of the lever 29 and the upperlug of the bracket 36 holds-theforward end of the lever normally seated upon the lower lug of thebracket 36. The arrangement is such that the rear end of the lever 29 isnormally elevated, as shown in Fig 1, but may be depressed bycompressing the spring 38. v

A projecting end of-the bridge or support 24 is disposed to engage theinclined surface 31' and slide along the same to depress the rear end ofthe lever 29 as the feeler is pushed frontwardly by a working supplyof'filling in the shuttle, and the projecting end 39 preferably has abeveled lower face the action of the compressed spring'38. Thearrangement is such that as .the feeler moves frontwardly it rocks therear end of the lever 29 downwardly due to the engagement of theprojection 39 with the inclined surface 31 but as soon as the projection39 moves beyond the inclined surface into engagement with the cam 32,the rear end of the lever tends to rise and the cam exerts a pronouncedlateral: pressure upon the projection 39 which will move the feelerlaterally as the pressure of the filling against its rear end isreduced. As the rear end of the lever 29 rocks upwardly one of the teeth35 is moved into position to engage the projection 39 to hold the feelerin a retracted wosition, but since the cam 32 swings the eeler laterallywhile the detent ,33 is moving into engagement with the projection 39,the lever will be held by the combined action of the cam and detent inthe position shown in Fig. 3. From this figure it will be noted that thelateral swinging movement imparted to the feeler 23 serves to move itsfilling engaging end frontwardly sufficiently to entirely clear thefilling as the lay beats up. The extent to which the feeler is movedfrontwardly by a working supply of filling Will vary with the amount offilling upon the filling carrier, and since the lower teeth 35 of thedetent are disposed frontwardly somewhat of the upper teeth 35 theprojection 39 will be engaged by the lower teeth when the fillingcarrier is full, while it will be engaged by the upper teeth when thegreater portion of the filling is used up. When the filling upon thefilling carrier becomes nearly exhausted it will not push the feelerfrontwardly far enough to cause the projection 39 to engage the detent32, and as a result the feeler will remain free to feel the condition ofthe filling upon each detecting beat.

The bracket 36 preferably is provided with an extension 41 to which thelever' 29 is secured by the ivot pin 30, and this lever may be accuratey adjusted to the desired position upon the feeler stand by means of theadjusting screw 42 which is rotatably mounted in an extension 43 uponthe feeler stand and has threaded engagement with the bracket 36 asshown in the drawing. The adjusting screw 42 is rotated by the knurledhead 44 and after the bracket 36 is adjusted to the desired position itis secured in place by tightening the bolt 37.

After the feeler has been held inactive for a desired period of time orduring the completion of a predetermined number of picks.

it should be released to feel the condition of filling within theshuttle and if a suflicient amount of filling is found present thefeeler may be again moved to its inactive position by the mechanismdescribed.

The means for periodically releasing the feeler from the detent thatholds it retracted may be variously constructed and one good form ofmeans will now be described.

Within the lower lug upon the bracket 36 'is provided a,sliding plungerwhich engages the lower face of the lever 29 and an upward thrust ofthis plunger serves to rock the lever 29 in a direction to disengage thedetent 33 from the projection 39 of the feeler, thereby to release thefeeler. The plunger just mentioned may be actuated by a wire which isslidably enclosed within the flexible sheath 45 and this sheath in theconstruction shown extends from the bracket 36 to a bracket 46adjustably mounted upon the loom frame. Within the bracket 46 isslidably mounted a plunger 47 the projecting end of which is positionedto engage an actuator 48 consisting of a protruding head which may beprovlded upon each spoke 49 of the ratchet wheel 50 which operates thetrain of gears 51, 52 and 53, that actuate the usual take-up or sandroll. The arrangement is such that as the ratchet wheel 50 rotates,vanactuator 48 upon one of the spokes 49 is moved into engagement with theplunger 47 and shoves the plunger laterally. This movement of theplunger 47 is imparted by the wire within the sheath 45 to the plungerwithin the bracket 36 and the latter rocks the lever) 29 in a directionto release the feeler 23.

The lay 54 may be of the usual construction and is provided with ashuttle-box 55, the front wall 56 of which is provided respondingopening 59 formed in the front wall of the shuttle. The shuttle-box andshuttle may be of the construction now common in feeler looms, theessential being that a proper openin be provided for the entrance of thefee er into the shuttle to feel for the filling when the feeler isactive on a detecting beat:

F rom the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention provides simple means for moving the'feeler to a position inwhich it is entirely out of the reach of the filling within the shuttle,and for holding the feeler inactive for a period of time, and forreleasing the feeler at intervals that it may detect the condition ofthe filling within the shuttle.

The cam 32 is so constructed and arranged with respect to the teeth ofthe detent 33 and the feeler projection. that when the cam engages thefeeler projection and effects lateral movement of the feeler, the latterwill be swung in a short are around the front bearing of the'feeler as acenter and moved frontwardly in said are a sufiicient distance to clearthe filling on the subsequent detecting beats, where it will be held bythe teeth of the detent until released by the take up the'latter inretracted position,,a projection upon the feeler that engages thedetent, a cam positioned to be engaged by said pro ection when thefeeler is pushed front- Wardly by a working supply of filling andoperable to swing the 'feeler laterally to an inoperative position asthe projectionengages the detent, and means actuated periodically uponthe. completion of a predetermined number of picksifor releasing thefeeler from the detent.

2. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of thefilling within a shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition, a cam positioned to act upon the feeler when the latter ispushed frontwardly by a working supply of filling and constructed andarranged to swing the feeler laterally to an inoperative position beyondthe reach of the v filling in the shuttle on subsequent detecting beatswhere it is held by the detent, and means operable periodically upon thecompletion of a multiplicity of picks for releasin the feeler from thedetent.

3. n intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of thefilling within a shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition, means upon the feeler that engage the detent, a cam positionedto act upon the feeler when the atter is pushed frontwardly by a workingsupply of filling and operable to swing the feeler laterally to aninoperative position as said means engages the detent, and meansoperable periodically upon the completion of a multiplicity of picks forreleasing the feeler from the detent.

4. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion offilling within a shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition, a projection upon the feeler that engages the detent, springactuatedmeans for acting upon the feeler when the. latter is pushedfrontwardly by a working supply of filling and operable to swing thefeeler laterally to an inoperative position as the projection engagesthe detent, and means operable periodically upon the completion of amulti plicity of picks for releasing the feeler from the detent.

5. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect'the substantial exhaustion ofthe filling in a shutle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition, a projection upon the feeler that engages the detent, meansconstructed and arranged to act laterally upon the feeler when thelatter is pushed frontwardly by a working supply of filling and operableto move the feeler laterally to an inoperative position beyond the reachof the filling that it may be held in such position by the detent duringits periods of inactivity, and means operable periodically'upon thecompletion of a multi-' .plicity of picks for releasing the feeler fromthe detent.

6. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect the substantial exhaustion offilling in a shuttle, a detent having teeth for holding the feeler i-ndifierent retracted positions, a projection upon the feeler engageablewith the difierent teeth, a cam secured adjacent said teeth to beengaged by the projection when the feeler is pushed frontwardly by aworking supply of filling and operable to force the feeler laterally toan inoperative position as the projection moves into engagement with oneof said teeth, and means operable periodically upon the completion of amultiplicity of picks for releasing the feeler from the detent.

7. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect the substantial exhaustion offilling in a shuttle, a lever extending in the general direction of thefeeler and pivotally mounted for rocking movement, a detent upon thelever for holding the feeler in its retracted position, a cam upon thelever and constructed and arranged to act upon the feeler when thelatter is pushed frontwardly by a working supply of filling and operableto force the feeler laterally to an inoperative position as it movesinto po-' sition to be engaged by said detent, and means operableperiodically u on the comletion of a multiplicity of pic is for releasmgthe feeler from the detent.

8. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms. comprising. incombination. a feeler mounted to detect the substantial exhaustion offilling in a shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition mounted for yielding downwardmovement and having an inclinedsurface leading to the toothed ortion of the detent, a projection uponthe filling and then releases the detent to engage the projection, a camupon said detent operable to push the feeler laterally to an inoperativeposition as the projection is engaged by the detent, and means operableperiodically upon the completion of a multiplicity of picks forreleasing the feelcr from the detent.

9. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect the substantial exhaustion offilling in a shuttle, a lever pivotally mounted for rocking movement andhaving a detent for holding the feeler in its retracted position, a camupon the lever constructed and arranged to be depressed by the feeler asthe latter is moved to its forward position by a working supply offilling and operable to swing the feeler laterally to an inoperativeposition as the detent moves into the feeler holding position, and meansoperable periodically upon the completion of a multiplicity of picks forreleasing the feeler from the detent,

10. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion offillingwithin a shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition, a projection upon the feeler that engages the detent, meansconstructed and arranged to act upon the feeler when the latter ispushed by a working supply of filling to its forward position andoperable to move the feeler laterally to an inoperative position as theprojection is enga ed by'the detent, a take-up mechanism, an meansactuated by the takeup mechanism for periodically releasing the feelerfrom the detent.

11. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of thefilling within a shuttle, a detent for bolding the feeler in a retractedposition, a projection upon the feeler that engages the detent, yieldingmeans "constructed and arranged to be displaced by the feeler as thelatter is pushed frontwardly by a working supply of filling and operableto impart an additional frontward movement to the feeler as theprojection is engaged by the detent, and means 0 erable periodicallyupon the completion 0? a multiplicity of picks for releasing the feelerfrom the detent.

12. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising, incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of thefillin within a shuttle, a detent for holding t e feeler in a retractedposition, a. projection upon the feeler that engages the detent, meanshaving a spring that is placed under tension by the feeler as the latteris pushed frontwardly by a working supply of lling and operable by thetensioned sprm to move the feeler entirely clear of the filling as saidprojection is engaged by the detent, and means operable periodicallyupon the completion of a multiplicity of picks for releasing the feelerfrom the detent.

13. An intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, comprising,incombination, a feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of thefilling in a shuttle, a detent for holding the feeler in a retractedposition, a cam positioned to act upon the feeler when the latter hasbeen pushed frontwardly by a Working supply of filling in the shuttle ona detecting beat and constructed and arranged to swing the feelerlaterally to an inoperative position beyond the reach of the filling,and means operable periodically for releasing the feeler from thedetent.

14. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the

engaging member and detent are engaged as the lay goes back after adetectingbeat.

15. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler, aspring normally acting in a direction to move the feeler towards feelingposition, a detent for holding the feeler in frontward or non-feelingposition, and interengaging members carried by the feeler and detent andhaving their engaging surfaces relatively inclined in a directiontransversely of the loomtoeffect lateral movement of the feeler underthe influence of the feeler spring when said surfaces are engaged as thelay goes back.

i 16. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination ofa feeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of the filling on adetecting beat, a detent for holding the feeler in retracted frontpositron, a projection connected to the feeler for engaging the detent,said projection and detent having their engaging surfaces constructedand arranged to cause the feeler to be moved laterally into aninoperative position when the lay goes back and the pro jection anddetent are engaged.

'17 In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler mounted to detect substantial exhaustion of the filling on adetecting beat, a detent for holding the feeler in retracted frontposit1on,.a projection connected to the feeler for enga ng the detent,said projection and deg be moved laterally 1nto an inoperative posi-'tion when the lay goes back and the projection and detent are engaged,and means for periodically releasing the feeler from the detent that itmay perform its feeling function.

18. In a feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of a feeler mountedto enter the shuttle on a detecting beat in a direction inclined to thelongitudinal axis of the shuttle, a spring fornormally impelling thefeeler rearwardly, a detent for holding the feeler in frontwardretractedposition, a projection carried by the feeler for engaging the detentwhen the feeler is moved frontwardly by a working supply of filling, theinterengaging surfaces of the projection and detent being relativelyinclined to \eflect lateral movement of the feelerto an inoperativeposition that it may not injuriously contact with the filling onsubsequent detecting beats, and means for automatioally releasing thefeeler from the detent from time to time to detect the condition of thefilling and efiect replenishment when the filling is substantiallyexhausted.

19. In an intermittent feeler mechanism for looms, the combination of afeeler to detect the condition of the fillingin the shuttle, a detentfor holding the feeler'in an inoperative position during its periods ofinactivity and for freeing the feeler at intervals to its periods ofactivity, and means for moving the feeler laterally to a position beyondthe reach of the filling on detecting beats that it may be held in suchposition by the detent during its periods of inactivity, and means forfreeing the feeler from the detent at intervals.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification. Y

EWDARD s. STIMPSON.

